Farm First Newsletter – November 2011.
TB Testing
If you are aware that you need a TB test of any sort, please can you contact as early as possible, so that we can fit you in at a time to suit you. We are still very busy testing and have employed Simeon as an extra full-time TB tester, but many slots are still fully booked weeks in advance. We will try our best to accommodate your needs, but to do this we do need some notice. On the same topic, if your test is to take place at more than one site please can you give us the details of this when you book the test in, including the time taken to move any equipment. This will help us to be on time for the next call, as we try not to keep people waiting around.
Pneumonia Meetings
We will be holding two meetings on farms on 22nd November kindly sponsored by Pfizer. In the morning we will hold a meeting for dairy clients at Greenmoors Farm, Llanddewi Skirrid, at the kind invitation of David and Mandy Jones. In the afternoon we will move to Doug and Greg Willis’ beef unit at North Fleet, Penperlleni where we will welcome our beef clients. The emphasis of the meeting will be risk factors for pneumonia and assessment of the environment. Please contact us at the office if you would like to attend either session.
Pneumonia Vaccines The table below shows the options available and the costs for vaccinating calves against pneumonia this year. Is it worth it? The answer is yes but do not expect vaccines to prevent all pneumonia. They are a significant advantage only if the conditions are right. Nothing will overcome poor housing, feeding and ventilation.
Vaccine
Past
IBR
RSV
PI3
BVD Earliest age for vaccine No. doses Cost per dose(10% disc) I/m, S/c or I/n (nasal) Duration of protection
RISPOVAL INTRANASAL - - + + - 9 days 1 £6.06 I/n 9 weeks
RISPOVAL P + - - - - 3mths 1 £5.03 I/m 17 weeks
BOVIPAST RSP + - + + - 2wks 2 £5.41 S/c
BOVILIS IBR - + - - - 3 months
(4 weeks) 1
(2) £2.44 I/n or I/m 6 months
RISPOVAL 4 - + + + + 3 wks.
(>3mth) 2
(1)
£6.77 I/m
6 months
RISPOVAL RS - - + - - 7 days
(> 4mth) 2
(1) £5.99 I/m 4 months
Funding for Bull and Ram Fertility Testing
Did you know that one in every three bulls don't come up to the mark when it comes to fertility? Bull fertility problems are not as unusual as you might think. If a bull under performs this can affect the number of calves born as well as the calving pattern. Farmers can reduce the risk of poor results by doing some simple checks on bull fertility before mating gets underway. To get cows in calf a bull has to be ready (good physical shape), willing (good libido) and able (good semen quality). You will be able to observe all of these points except for the semen quality which can only be done under the microscope. HCC are offering £70 towards the cost of semen testing your bulls (only one claim per year). To claim this funding you will need to arrange a date with Rob to complete the fertility test and then send in the claim form( on HCC web site) with a receipt from us and the results of the test.
HCC are also offering £50 towards the cost of semen testing your rams (only one claim per year). It is probably too late for most of you to take this up this year, but it is worth remembering for next year. If you do have disappointing results at ewe scanning or lambing, please contact us, as there are several possible causes that we can investigate.
Cat and Dog Flea and Worm Treatments
In response to requests from some clients we are now keeping a range of routine dog and cat treatments on the shelf. It especially important that farm dogs are regularly wormed with a product effective against the tapeworms involved in hydatidosis, and we will continue to stock Drontal Plus for this. We will stock Frontline Combo as the main product for flea and tick control. As well as killing the fleas this product has an extra active ingredient in it, which breaks the flea life cycle by acting on the life stages which survive in the animal’s bedding.
On request we will also order Profender, a spot-on flea treatment and wormer for cats, and also medication for arthritic dogs, which would benefit many older working dogs. If you have a dog which you think would benefit from this type of medication, please speak to one of the vets. You may be able to give your old dog a new lease of life.
Prices for these products are listed below. A 15 % discount will be given if you purchase a year’s supply.
Drug Dose Rate Price ( ex VAT)
Drontal Plus Tablet 1 per 10kg £1.99
Drontal Cat Tablet 1 per 4 kg £2.04
Frontline Combo Large Dog £20.50 ( for 3 pack)
Frontline Combo Med Dog £18.95 ¨
Frontline Combo Small Dog £17.20 ¨
Frontline Combo Cat £13.41 ¨
Vicki Scoops Stock Judging Award
Last week our new vet Vicki, much to her surprise (and Andrew's, who when told appeared incredulous), won a YFC fat lamb stock judging competition. She didn't do much for client relations, when prior to the competition starting she exclaimed to fellow competitors 'If I win anything in this, you lot must be crap'.
Rob has awarded Vicki another prize this month, it’s the 2011 FF Public Relations award!
